BERLIN, Jan 25. THE USA's Lindsay Benko broke the world short course record in the women's 400 meter freestyle today on the final day of the final stop of the FINA World Cup tour in Berlin.

Benko, who swims for Trojan Swim Club and is coached by Mark Schubert crashed through the four-minute barrier with a brilliant 3:59.53, slashing half a second from the previous mark of 4:00.03 by Costa Rica's Claudia Poll set at the 1997 Short Course World Championships in Goteborg, Sweden.